


Lavinia's Stand

by FloatingCowskull



Category: The Aeneid - Virgil
Genre: F/F, F/M, Femslash, Latin, Poetry, Rome - Freeform, Underworld, ancient lesbians - Freeform, fanfiction based on fanfiction, prehistory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-25
Updated: 2014-02-25
Packaged: 2018-01-13 17:59:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1235830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FloatingCowskull/pseuds/FloatingCowskull
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What would happen is Lavinia realised that it she alone had the power over the Roman race, and in being the crux of the story, what would then happen, if for instance, she chose neither Aeneas or Turnus. </p>
<p>This is my take on the ending of book 12. In for a penny, in for a pound, and Roman femslash in epic poem format</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Moved over from fanficion.net Hellish to write, but it was fun to put classical latin studies to use. Enjoy :)

_“Daughter step back!” old Latinus cried,_

_The indecisive man’s assertion set in his eyes,_

_“I shall not stand for this insolence on this fighters field,_

_Return to the city, and await for Latiums results,_

_Whatever blow wins, will your married hand shall yield!”_

_Lavinia stood, watching helplessly the needless assaults,_

_Like an ox above cattle, her fair face rose,_

_On that stump of Faunus, auspicious ground,_

_The dark furies ascent overhead raining darks shadows,_

_Juturna weeping, whirling her stream’s water round,_

_A single voice cut through such tumult, strong and with reason,_

_“Cease!” she sang, “and let this glorious country,_

_Its future successes, victories and its every winter season,_

_Let now its mother speak, let my not at all kind words now bluntly_

_stop this cursed and fated fighting, blood and death,_

_The only bounty of such hatred, I may see”_

_A sharp thunderous crack rose up at her last breath,_

_Juno appeared next to the podium that was the dead tree,_

_Like a hunter on a boulder, hurtling down a large mountain,_

_Near a dear searching gazing on fiery lions in Punicas summer rains,_

_The goddess's appearance, and the daughters word, a fountain_

_Of amazement held the crowd, and with the upmost of pains,_

_Pious Aeneas and the whole the whole crowd bowed,_

_“Listen” spoke a deep voice from afar, “She has conceded”._

_Jupiter taking the form of Latinus, with words of abounding loud,_

_The last voice that spoke, was such undefeated,_

_The Olympians left, as the armed ones retreated._

_The citadel and the palace, burned and stormed,_

_Were quiet that night, shock for the virgins tenacity transformed,_

_And yet the men would not listen, and Turnus was still_

_Sickened, to father a country, he would not inflict the same crime_

_That was bestowed on his beloved sister, evil not his will,_

_But at this most sullen and ponderous time,_

_Juturna and Lavinia laughed, their last night as hidden lovers,_

_Unwilling to depart even as their destinies called,_

_Shake the warmth from the semi-divine bed’s covers,_

_The blushing face of the Goddesses still enthralled._

_Alas, it was not to be, for alike the bees that float_

_And fill the air, this happy hives love, two queens_

_Sweet nectar of love would by the fated future, smote,_

_And thus as Lavinia awoke, rolling over and she leans,_

_a delicate departing kiss, and from the sacred shrine,_

_the place of water spirits to recline with whom they choose,_

_she left.  A darkened sky an ominous sign,_

_“Be swift” she told her mare, before the coming of lighter hues,_

_The bloodied battlefield passed underfoot with canters ease,_

_Her Father’s gates awaiting her with solemn displease._


	2. Chapter 2

_Aeneas treaded from the darkened battlefield,_

_His head heavy, questioning which fates lay sealed,_

_Taking rest in Dardanian camp, resting foot and head,_

_Ascanious spoke, the youths bloodlust wishing again for clash,_

_Hark! Idmons knock greeted the soldiers, now for bed,_

_The palisaded Gates opened and the scroll given from his sash,_

_“Come, oh fated son-in-law, this hysterical madness_

_Together we must stop, a matter which iron will nay solve,_

_The unholy origins, only time now may guess,_

_And its crux, whatever be, it will no longer revolve_

_With our aged wisdoms tied.” So Father Aeneas spoke,_

_Thanks given to the Latin messenger,_

_and then to King Latinus, once among the Citadels menfolk._

_Turnus’s burning eyes welcomed Aeneas in a flaming spur,_

_A gentle wisdom flowed from Aeneas,_

_And alike a spoon ladling both, with a gentle stir,_

_Latinus brought together the milk and honey with a sudden splash,_

_The ripples on this drink came by candlelight to blur._

_“Rome must be founded” cried Aeneas in desperation,_

_The mornings chill still unyielding,_

_“I say not” a fervent Rutulian replied, his cheeks red crimson,_

_“Enough!” Latinus stood between them, booming voice blarring,_

_“however shall we call my daughter to duty,_

_And let one of, future son-in-laws, chosen to have her beauty.”_

_The Morning star welcomed Lavinia in,_

_The door closed behind her, Latinus watching within,_

_Bursting forth, his eyes ablaze,_

_Lavinia bowed to the aged monarch, filled with fears,_

_“How dare you” was his single phrase,_

_Disappointment and torment found in his tears,_

_Meanwhile Turnus and Aeneas, still sworn in hate_

_Met in secret outside the citadels walls,_

_In no way wishing to seek spoken solution with fate,_

_Both heated and burning, not even spring rainfalls,_

_Could extinguish the respective lights,_

_Sharp and blue, against flickering gold,_

_Now with sudden blows of iron would decide their plights,_

_No wait for times aging, nor either grow old,_

_A single battle, now, alone on sand with morning due,_

_They bowed to each other, both so bold,_

_As Lavinia clung to her father, wishing he knew,_

_How her love made her unable to withhold_

_the lie she lived, as Latium’s future bride_

_when her heart was sworn in solemn duty,_

_To Her beloved Juturna, where her feelings reside,_

_Thus she spoke “Father, with the dying: army,_

_Wife, and hopes, let me place atop some happiness,_

_I love Juturna, she is my all, a secret kept for long duration,_

_Know I say this, respect for you my basis…”_

_A Clash rang out, a groan was heard of no elation,_

_Father and daughter looked out from above,_

_Turnus dead, and answer reached thereof._


	3. Chapter 3

_Middays sun burned overhead,_

_Turnus's body laying now now and always dead._

_The funeral held, and life to seek,_

_gentle music, weeping and black clad Daunus,_

_held 5 days after a death most antique,_

_and with a sadness that common man so rarely produce,_

_the guilt sat in Aeneas's heart, filling blame's empty chair,_

_Juturna tore at her immortal flesh,_

_wishing the pain and anguish to overbear,_

_the cool gains of sadness all she could thresh,_

_Meanwhile sitting on his high cloud, Jupiter, Juno and Venus met,_

_All willing to partake and scheme,_

_and let the petty hates of divinity be a thing be of past regret,_

_for greater good and for the rise of Rome, they met as one team,_

_"I am the keeper of Love" spoke Venus,_

_"and my son will find his, should Juturna not have interfered,_

_enchanting love would be been a sudden finish"_

_Juno replied "I will not be blamed", she reared,_

_"for this love even my Jupiter was not to be known"_

_A low sigh was heard, "I am tired Girls, this is getting dull,_

_young girls hearts to this is prone."_

_Juno laughed, "it was your abominable lust in that empty skull,_

_that then created the nymph, your crime now the twister of fate"_

_A silence held,_

_no answers coming at any rate,_

_a large breath Jupiter eventually expelled,_

_leaving the room and letting the wise Goddesses mind_

_to this problem answers now should unwind_

_Meanwhile in on the shores of the Cocytus in Hades fair fields,_

_A meeting was to begin and loves blossoms thus yields,_

_Venus watched eagerly at her patron sport,_

_And while the lamentations above continued for weeks on end,_

_The divine women above began to convene in their court,_

_Latinus however, broken hearted, mourning then did send,_

_His daughter away from his fair old eyes,_

_So he could reign and pray for solutions which from his child_

_He could no longer witness to his domain, and seemingly despise._

_Below, in shadowed world, festered wild in initial passions newly wild,_

_The two gazing and seething, at Aeneas above,_

_Talking of life and newfound death,_

_Until Venus, mischievely, sparked a single drop of love,_

_In Queen Dido and the extinguished Turnus from a gusty breath,_

_Blowing over them from her heavenly seat,_

_And enchanting them unmistakenly,_

_Entwining them in a vine so sweet,_

_It grew into the wall between passion and despair so faintly,_

_Mixing them in the deceased hearts,_

_Just as Juno now, for the three fates, departs._


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly couldn't help myself. sorry

_Lamentation rang from the charcoal eaves,_

_mourning most unwilling of most to believe,_

_The final parade after the Latins funeral games,_

_Winners, some even of Illian birth shed last tears for Latium’s hopes,_

_The people, clad black and in despair called out Lavinia’s titles and names,_

_The scorns and mockery binding her like ropes,_

_Riding through the ash covered streets on litter,_

_She cried,_

_Her tears and heart still not at all bitter,_

_Yet on her shoulder perched a little bird yet spied,_

_It looked out, fluffed up feathers and downturned beak_

_Passing near the dedications it looked out and began to call,_

_A song most sorrowful, for something of release it did seek,_

_To remove from itself the covering of pitch that did fall,_

_Thus Juturna Sang,_

_For her brother, for Latium and for her love,_

_Until the pain was mere venom on deadly snakes fang,_

_In her heart it restlessly seeped, that Rivers remain in awe of,_

_Flowing out from her eyes and from her beak,_

_This toxin flowed until she sank down, ever weak._

_“You!” Juno cried, a pokey, shadowy place surrounding,_

_Her queenly voice, throughout the threat and wool abounding,_

_“This is not to be”, a silence, “a nation has fallen,_

_It lies in ashes.  What instrument, what arrow, nay blade of sullen,_

_Property you use to strike through the hopes and dreams of globe_

_Its eternal obit unenhanced and low in mourning for a lost nation,_

_Its path unclear as it has lost an aim, a future jewel, button for the regal robe,_

_So I ask this, why destroy, remove, abolish without any repatriation,_

_This, for what? Young love; love that need not be spoken of”_

_The fates rose and twisted round, bulging eyes and twisting tongues_

_One removing a wicker lid with no small shove_

_from a having been removed basket, formally perched on high rungs,_

_out emerged a golden rope, interwoven with every citizen,_

_rich and poor it winds around, a glorious cable for the future,_

_and behold!  It’s strength, for all the men and women,_

_unbroken and intact, no rip of knot.  “But you who are the teacher_

_and guider of life’s plan, how can this be? For there shall no be_

_Rome with the Teucrians and Latins no longer to combine!”_

_The middle Fate, raised her head and laughed, “see”_

_She said and smiled, “Rome ever yet shall shine”_

_Juno, humbled before this proof of Rome_

_For which the fates, for the cities life, condone._

_Meanwhile, in the haunts of underworld, amongst the blackened weeds_

_Downcast Dido and Blazing Turnus sat lamenting passed deeds,_

_And sharing kisses, should pecking sparrows of sweetest song_

_have flocked as two, notes of purer love, in that grim place_

_should not have more purely abounded, nor as long,_

_the two, with eyes of deep set love stared into each others face,_

_and smiled.  For cruel death had taken them into the black,_

_the fire, the torture and the wretchedly, and yet_

_they walked, throughout the fields, arm in arm where life doth lack,_

_and picnicked as if on sunny Olympus, or the great fields set_

_their blankets and feasted together, amongst the dry rain,_

_alone, although perhaps Dido would have preferred a cave,_

_Sweltering heat from his heart and loins,_

_A tender kiss on her neck, pressing down onto dark grass,_

_Gazing upwards on her tender back she yearns for him,_

_Removing cloth and shame alike the two intertwine,_

_And then pressing upwards she brings herself into him,_

_A blush, like a rose amixted on a so composed face,_

_A grunt, a prick of pleasure over the pair,_

_Shining eyes and gleaming sweat in that perpetual night_

_As his eager lips move down to greet the former Queen_

_And shared heat amongst themselves, just as a returned sword,_

_To a new, yet familiar shealth, the leather tightens on impact_

_To stretch the new opening, not to break or tear the tender casing_

_The two filled with pleasure, lie into another,_

_Separating with sated lust, a warm smile placed on both lover._

_with nothing left, in this immortal death to gain_

_Dido revealed her heart, so Turnus, both in newfound passion bathe._

_Below the two new lovers embraced_

_Above the fates weaved their lives together, in a cunning show of lace._


	5. Chapter 5

_And so it was that Dido and Turnus came as one,_

_Knotted together, one life, one fate, a single strand doth spun,_

_Meanwhile, just as below, the lamenting ceased,_

_And as Latinus ruled over, daughterless and heirless,_

_He wished, prayed for the futures plan to thus be pieced,_

_And yet, winters summers, harvests, feasts, O joyless_

_Lo, so was Aeneas, receiding in hair and unable to found,_

_Sitting, rarely smiling, he enjoyed the small pleasures_

_As affluence in a prosperous, though burnt city, helped round_

_Of a long and warrior life, negating human ties and tethers_

_Sitting at the winter feast, amongst the highborn_

_Making prattle with the aged King,_

_Ascanius sat, besides his father, a face forlorn,_

_No hunting, games or tests of combat thus his spirits no longer rising_

_And singing down, the youth slumped and sighed,_

_Latinus, ever wise, spoke up, and thus gave a wrenching speech,_

_“Dear friends, relatives, youths, and noblemen arised,_

_I see you now, loosing heart, and yet I to you most I impeach,_

_We know the problems, but the Gods whom we have never abandoned_

_Shall not abandon us. There are the straying sprites, but we,_

_We do not give in, even when enemies, having landed_

_on our shores, now fought and dine on our table.  It to me,_

_is the greatest test of the spoils of devotion, greater even than those of war._

_Hear me when I say, the solution shall eddy in our tired minds_

_I am neither lacking in cunning or the golden spirit required for_

_A fight, of any kind. Thus have faith, solutions always come to shine.”_

_Hence the aged one spoke, and roused the spirits of guests,_

_Abating temporarily, putting immediate concerns into gentle rests._

_The feast abates as Latinus raises a final glass to countries fortune,_

_While Aeneas and Ascanius discussed the previous festival at high noon,_

_The young prince, from Dardanian shores had caught a favour,_

_From the unmarried girls of Latiums, being in no way ignoble of birth,_

_Just as a bumblebee, seeking to his own hive before the downpoor,_

_Here of sorrow, there of rain splashing dry and uninviting earth,_

_He turns, smelling the new aroma, when the emerging bloom,_

_Anointed amongst the other buds, its petals spiralling in the wind,_

_The mention of her name filled within him the vast room_

_And the love within his chest, like a bees sting to his heart pinned,_

_Prince Ascanius, takes the noble girls hand on this foreign shore,_

_And as the gathering abates presents her to his pious father,_

_Hoping that this wanted marriage may be approved be written in law._

_For having gazed upon her, and she, making note of his ethereal armour,_

_Watching the fight, and the chiselled prince adorned in armour glittering_

_Noblewoman standing, bejewelled from the watch-post while those thrashing_

_Swordsmen in the fighters field, both readying for their meeting._

_The king marked over, now with delight brimming,_

_Latinus, having overheard the boys proposal,_

_Hailed the happy match and prepared to join the daughter of Drances_

_to Iulus, all greatly hopeful,_

_for happiness abounding in the soon to be wedding dances,_

_and so the new pair bowed before their fathers and the King,_

_hopeful for the soon-coming day when wedding bells doth ring._


	6. Chapter 6

_But O, where now resides the ones who entwined disarray,_

_Pining, now shunned and away, loving duly respective fiancé_

_Relaxing away from the confine of fellow nymphs recline_

_On the Numicius’s banks befitting patron Juturna of the countries streams,_

_There a rejection, over the pair did shine,_

_And yet, excitement, lulling just as springs do gleam,_

_for the upcoming announcement, Lo Nuptials!,_

_for both ever fair maiden brides,_

_preparing now to depart, to ask, with fear so partial,_

_and hope that before great Juno they would not be chastised._

_Garbed and adorned, Juturna thus moved them with divine gait_

_before the throne of exalted Juno, the divine patron of marriage_

_and the fate of womankind, to whom a smile now did elate_

_the spirits of the pair, who had so feared disparriage,_

_Lavinia, humbled to be before the shimming placate of the truly divine,_

_Gripped the hand of her beloved, knowing this to be indeed_

_To be her day of union, and thus make her remaining life sublime,_

_Juno, sighing to this twisted destiny that fate did breed,_

_“It was my plea that granted the Latins tongue and face,_

_My part in this unfortunate war, races now mingled by necessity,_

_But not yet by blood.  Lavinia, daughter of Latinus, ever chaste_

_And Juturna, daughter of Daunus, defiled by my brother unwittingly,_

_I, do now see you as one, as the world shall. (Janus’s lust now dammed)_

_Here you stand, commited as wifes duely immortal,_

_‘be undoubtedly she who loosens the brides girdle!’ “_

_And with a chaste kiss the lovers embraced, now alone,_

_For married life, there was indeed no reason to postpone,_

_Taking place amongst the pantheon of minor deities,_

_Lavinia and Juturna cared for the lifeforce of Rome,_

_As only the rightful mothers of this state and fair cities_

_Should be undoubtedly able.  “With hair of seafoam,_

_And lips of soft river sand, I shall love you,_

_Juturna, until together we may care for the Styx,_

_For either our bodies burn, or we watch the shrine imbue_

_A true eternity together, as fate depicts,_

_And in both, my love, I see joy as neither of us has known._

_My dearest and the nymph who guides the blood in my heart,_

_I fear only the notion of being now apart”_


End file.
